Today I want to share my guide to the best park walks in London with you. These free self-guided London walking tours offer easy ways to explore the city’s gardens and green spaces on foot. They’ll let you discover the natural beauty of the UK capital and explore peaceful places away from the bustle of the urban landscape. If you enjoy getting outdoors, these walks are the perfect ways to see the city’s green spaces, waterways, and pastoral corners. Read on for the routes, maps, photos, and videos for the best parks in London for walks.
Park Walks in London
I’ve published a lot of blog posts about scenic walks. From walks near London by train to country walks in Britain and coastal walks near London, I’ve written about paths and trails around the UK.
Now I want to bring it home to the capital and tell you about park walks in London. The city is graced with an abundance of gardens and green spaces. That means there are loads of rural walks you can take within the M25.
From the Royal Parks to Hampstead Heath, there’s no shortage of routes to walk in nature in London. My self-guided walking tours will take you to some of the most picturesque landscapes in the UK capital.
If you enjoy village-like environments and the outdoors in equal measure, my free walks are ideal for you. They’ll show you the best of the city’s natural highlights and let you discover both well-known places and under-the-radar areas as you stroll.
I hope you enjoy reading about the best parks to walk in London as much as I’ve enjoyed coming up with the routes and maps. My self-guided London walks are enjoyable ways to explore the city and get some exercise at the same time.
You can find more walks in the book London’s Hidden Walks as well. You can get it on Amazon here. There are additional ideas for getting into nature in London in my London walking books post, too.
If you’re interested in other A Lady in London walks, my blog post about self-guided London walking tours has all the ones I’ve published in one place. You can use it to find your favorites.
If you want a guided tour, there are popular park walks all over the city. From the famous Kensington Gardens to Hyde Park, they’re great ways to see the green spaces with an experienced guide. You can see options and book one here.
1. Hampstead Heath
First on my list of the best park walks in London is one in Hampstead Heath. This wild green space has been my favorite in the city since I moved to the UK capital.
Both topographically varied and unmanicured, Hampstead Heath feels like it’s out in the middle of the English countryside.
The park’s elevated location means there are panoramic views of the London skyline from places like Parliament Hill, too. Add to that bathing ponds you can swim in during the warmer months, and it’s an all-around fun place.
My self-guided route will lead you along some of the best walking trails in London. As you go you’ll discover everything from stately homes like Kenwood House (it’s an English Heritage site) to 16th-century pubs and secret gardens with pergolas.
This park walk is just the ticket if you want to get to know one of the city’s biggest green spaces and take in a variety of views and points of interest along the way.
You can find the directions, map, photos, and video on my blog post about Hampstead Heath walks. It’s one of my top picks for nature walks in London.
2. Royal Parks Walk in London
Next on my list of the best park walks in London is my Royal Parks walk. These famous places in the city center are some of the most beautiful green spaces in the UK capital.
From Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens, Green Park, and St James’s Park, they’re known for everything from colorful flower beds to boating lakes.
My self-guided London walking route will take you through the major Royal Parks in central London.
As you follow the map from Kensington Gardens to Green Park and St James’s Park, you’ll pass everything from manicured hedges to free art galleries and historic royal palaces.
This walk is perfect if you love well-maintained parks and all things royal. You can find the route, map, and photos on my blog post about the best walks in London.
My royal London walking tour also covers some of the Royal Parks, so if you want a mix of nature and city, it’s a good choice as well.
3. Dulwich Park
My self-guided Dulwich tour is next on my list of park walks in London. This leafy part of south east London feels like a village.
Dulwich is known for its elegant houses, abundance of green spaces and cricket fields, enchanting woods, and renowned picture gallery. It feels like a country village that’s been transplanted in south London.
While Dulwich isn’t on the tube, it’s easy to reach by train or bus from central London. There’s no excuse to stay away.
Once you’re here, my walk in this part of London will take you through the beautiful expanse of Dulwich Park, alongside Belair Park, and through the tree-lined streets of the area.
If you can time your visit to coincide with when the American Garden is in bloom in the spring, you’ll be in heaven. The rhododendrons and azaleas here are nothing short of breathtaking.
This is one of the best south east London walks if you like a mix of village atmosphere, gardens, and parks. You can find the full route, map, photos, and video on my Dulwich walk blog post.
If you have time, it’s worth popping down to Dulwich Wood, too. Together with Sydenham Hill Wood, this is the largest remaining part of the ancient Great North Wood in the Borough of Southwark. Crisscrossed by walking trails and packed with trees, it’s beautiful to explore.
4. Richmond Park
My Richmond route is another of my favorite park walks in London. This area is home to an abundance of peaceful green spaces and riverside walking paths.
My self-guided walk will take you to Richmond Green, out to the Thames Path, through Petersham Meadows, up Terrace Gardens, and into Richmond Park, one of the largest green spaces in the UK capital.
Along the way you’ll come across everything from 17th-century Ham House and Garden (it’s a National Trust property) to Ted Lasso filming locations and fun riverside pubs.
The real treat on this walk is Richmond Park. One of the Royal Parks, this 2,500-acre (1,012-hectare) green space is a National Nature Reserve.
It’s home to everything from Isabella Plantation to resident deer. If you have time, it’s worth spending a full day out in Richmond to experience all it has to offer.
This walking tour is perfect if you like parks and waterfront areas as much as you love secret lanes and hidden corners. You can find the route, map, photos, and video on my blog post about a Richmond walk.
You can also follow the Tamsin Trail, a 7-mile (11-kilometer) scenic route in Richmond Park. It’s a great walk if you want to stick to just the famous green space while you’re here.
If you want to add to your walk, you can continue along the Thames Path towards Kingston-upon-Thames or take the ferry across the river and explore the grounds of Marble Hill House in Twickenham.
5. Greenwich Park
My Greenwich walk comes next on my list of London park walks. This historic part of the city is known for its maritime history, riverfront clipper ship, Prime Meridian, and large green space.
My self-guided walk will take you from the River Thames to Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory. They’re some of the best places to see in the area.
Greenwich Park itself is full of things to do. From the deer park to stargazing at the observatory and seeing Ranger’s House with its famous rose garden, there’s a lot going on here. And that’s to say nothing of the fact that it has some of the best views in London.
As you do this south London walk, you’ll come across everything from the Old Royal Naval College to the Cutty Sark ship, the National Maritime Museum, and Greenwich Park gardens. You’ll go down some of the area’s leafy residential streets, too.
This walk is ideal if you enjoy outdoor scenery and history in equal measure. You can find the full route, map, photos, and video on my blog post about a Greenwich walk.
If you want more, you can extend the Greenwich Park portion of your walk to include Blackheath. This green space will give you more room to explore and show you another part of the area.
6. Highgate Walk in London
The next of my London park walks is in Highgate. This leafy neighborhood in the north of the city is full of elegant houses and lush green spaces.
There’s a famous historic cemetery here, too. Highgate Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven Victorian cemeteries in London, and everyone from Karl Marx to George Eliot is buried here. It’s a beautiful place to take a guided or self-guided walk.
There are lots of shops, pubs, and restaurants dotted throughout the area, and the side streets have some of the most beautiful (and grand!) homes in the city. Holly Village in particular is enchanting.
My London walking tour will take you through the heart of the area and into big green spaces like Highgate Wood, Waterlow Park, and Hampstead Heath.
It’s ideal if you want to discover one of the most picturesque north London neighborhoods and feel like you’re a million miles from the city while you do.
If you’re interested in taking this one, you can head over to my Highgate walk blog post to find the route, photos, and map.
7. Holland Park
Over in the west, the next of my London park walks is in Holland Park. This elegant area is full of grand houses and tucked-away mews, not to mention a high street full of shops, cafes, and restaurants.
As the name implies, Holland Park is also home to one of London’s most beloved green spaces. The tulip garden is gorgeous in spring and the Kyoto Garden is lush all year. There are peacocks, too.
Additionally, the park has everything from the Design Museum to cafes and restaurants. It’s crisscrossed with walking trails, and there are rose gardens and larger-than-life chess sets to discover while you’re here. There’s even opera in the summer.
This self-guided London walk will take you from the Holland Park tube station to the houses, green spaces, and mews the area is known for. It’s perfect if you love a mix of pretty streets and peaceful gardens.
If you want to go on this one, you can find the map, route, pictures, and video on my blog post about a Holland Park walk.
It starts and ends near where my Notting Hill walking tour starts, so you can combine the two if you want to make a day of it.
8. Primrose Hill
The next of my London park walks is in Primrose Hill. This London neighborhood is known for its pretty side streets, colorful houses, and buzzing high street.
There’s a park with amazing views of London, too. Right above Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill is worth the short climb for its sweeping vistas of the city center and beyond.
My self-guided London walk will take you around Primrose Hill and allow you to discover elegant houses, pretty squares, and the best of the high street.
The walking route will also take you past local pubs and shops, and let you walk along Regent’s Canal. It has a good mix of things to see.
The map will bring you to a colorful market if you do it on a Saturday, too. It’s the perfect place to pick up a snack or picnic to enjoy as you take in the views from the hill in the park.
If you’re interested in going on this walk, head to my Primrose Hill walk blog post. It has the full route, photos, video, and map.
9. Regent’s Canal and Regent’s Park
The next of my London park walks goes along Regent’s Canal from Maida Vale to King’s Cross.
This canal walk will take you past everything from the boats in Little Venice to the stalls of Camden Market. It also goes through the London Zoo.
You’ll get to walk along the Regent’s Canal towpath in Regent’s Park as you do this walk. It will show you elegant houses on the banks and cute animals in the zoo. You can make a detour and see more of the park while you’re here if you want to as well.
This free self-guided walking tour is great if you like to be near water and take in a variety of sights and neighborhoods in addition to parks.
If this London walk appeals, you can find the route, map, and photos on my blog post about canal walks in London.
Given the route skirts the bottom of Primrose Hill, you can even combine it with my Primrose Hill walk and make a day of it.
Map of the Best Parks in London for Walks
As promised at the beginning of this post, I created an interactive map of all the walks I’ve included in my list. You can see it here. If you click on the pins, you’ll find my blog posts about each one. It will help you discover the routes that work best for you.
If you want to see all my free self-guided walks in one place, my London walking map can help.
Best Park Walks in London
I hope reading about these self-guided London walking tours has gotten you excited to head out and explore the city’s green spaces and gardens.
I’ve enjoyed creating the routes and maps, and I hope you get a chance to use them to do the walks yourself.
Parks, gardens, and waterfront areas are some of the best things about the city, and these self-guided London nature walks are fun ways to discover the highlights.
If you want to see more, Battersea Park, Southwark Park, Victoria Park, and Wimbledon Common are all great places to walk, too.
Beyond these scenic walks, I’ve written a lot about green spaces in London. From summer gardens in London to the best country walks in London and London nature walks, there’s plenty to keep you busy.
I’ve published guides to the best parks in London, Hampstead Heath in autumn and winter, and Hyde Park in autumn, too.
I have more self-guided London park walks in the pipeline as well. They’ll all end up here and on my London walking map once I’ve published them. You can bookmark this page or pin it on Pinterest to see the new ones when I add them. Happy walking!
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